France’s anti-terrorism prosecutor has opened an investigation into the killing of six French aid workers at a wildlife reserve in Niger, as Emmanuel Macron condemned what he called a “cowardly” attack, reports The Guardian.
A local driver working with the French humanitarian group ACTED and a guide were also killed in the attack, which took place on Sunday morning in a reserve known as the Giraffe Zone, home to the last remaining population of west African giraffes, in the south-western region of Kouré. Attackers on motorbikes ambushed the group as it drove through the reserve, which is in an area considered safe by Niger’s government.
Images broadcast on France’s TF1 television channel showed the torched remains of a 4x4 vehicle sprayed with bullet holes.
Jihadist groups have not claimed responsibility for the killing but are widely suspected, in a country that has been beset by a jihadist insurgency. In the clearest sign yet that France believes a militant group was involved, the office of France’s anti-terrorism prosecutor said it was launching an investigation on suspicion of the involvement of a terrorist group.
In a statement posted on Twitter, the French president said: “Several of our compatriots and Nigeriens were cowardly murdered yesterday in Niger in a deadly attack. I share the pain of their families and loved ones. Some were hired for the most altruistic of missions: to help people.”